Sugar Bowl with Cover 1759 - 1762

Curator: Here we have a Sugar Bowl with Cover, crafted by the Frankenthal Porcelain Manufactory. Editor: It strikes me as a rather unsettling piece, these miniature scenes of conflict adorning something so delicate. Curator: Indeed, the porcelain itself speaks volumes. Frankenthal, like many manufactories of its time, navigated the desires of aristocratic patrons. Editor: So, sugar, conflict, and elite consumption all intertwined. It's fascinating how the labor of production is masked beneath the delicate artistry. Curator: The imagery, though martial, is also decorative, fitting into a broader trend of using military themes to evoke power and prestige. Editor: It makes you wonder about the hands that formed it, the conditions they worked under, and whose stories aren’t told on its surface. Curator: Precisely, and what role did these sugar bowls play in solidifying social hierarchies? Editor: It gives us a lot to think about.